


The Best Gift of All

by sgamadison



Series: The Cabin Series [8]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-10
Updated: 2011-12-10
Packaged: 2017-10-27 04:11:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/291488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgamadison/pseuds/sgamadison
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you get the man who has everything?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Gift of All

**Author's Note:**

  * For [neevebrody (neeve_fic)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=neevebrody+%28neeve_fic%29), [Bluespirit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluespirit/gifts).



> Part of the Cabin series, but can be read as a stand alone story
> 
> Written as a gift for bluespirit_star, neevebrody, zinfic, and tangotabby

The first time Rodney woke up it was because he was cold, colder than normal. John usually put out heat like a furnace; after the initial bliss of snuggling up to John’s warm body, and the pleased delight at the way John would curl into him, Rodney would soon have to move away to his side of the bed because John was just too damn hot. Who’d have thought the Great Colonel Touch-Me-Not would be a closet cuddler? It was one of the many little discoveries that had fascinated Rodney over the years that he and John had been together.

Unlike his room within the city, where tiny electronic readouts prevented their quarters from ever being completely dark, the room in the cabin was as black as the inside of a cavern, and just as cold. Despite knowing it wasn’t the real cabin back on Earth, his body knew it was predawn. And he was cold because John was not there.

He'd been dreaming. Waking suddenly as he’d done, the dream was fresh and clear before him. Brilliant splashes of color, vibrant images imprinted upon his mind. The dream was right there, right within his reach. The temptation was to share it with someone, to write it down. He knew when he awoke the next time, it would be gone. The details would blur and fade until he could no longer recall what it had been about. In that hazy state of semi-wakefulness, he was aware that John was gone.

 _John must've gotten up to light the stove_. Even though he was cold now, the knowledge that the cabin would be warming soon and that John would shortly return to bed, was all he needed to know. It was completely unnecessary for John to do this. They were in a holodeck; John could have simply programmed the simulation to be whatever temperature he desired. By unspoken agreement, however, whenever he and Rodney were in the cabin simulation, they acted as though it were real. Rodney drifted back into deeper slumber, a smile upon his face.

The second time he woke, it was to the sound of movement within the room, and the smell of fresh coffee. He opened one bleary eye, reluctant to start the day in motion. He and John had made love the night before, in a slow and lazy fashion. Unusual, because these days, sex tended to be a little more planned and a little less spontaneous. They seldom initiated anything when they had to be up early the next day. There was a slight predictability to that which made Rodney think wistfully of the days when they couldn’t get enough of each other. It had taken him a long time to value the holding more than the fucking, or to realize that some of that earlier heat had been driven by fear. Fear that it wouldn’t last. Fear that they wouldn’t have a tomorrow.

John came around to his side of the bed and sat down on the edge. He carefully set down the thick white ceramic mug on the bedside table. Beside it, he also set down a plate containing a single glazed doughnut. The smell of warm sugar and yeasty dough wafted to Rodney's nose. He couldn't help it; he sniffed the air, nostrils flaring like a beagle searching for a rabbit nearby.

"That had better be the real thing," he said, pushing himself up on one elbow. "If that's just a hologram pastry, I might have to hurt you."

A dim half-light made its way through the windows. It must be snowing. Rodney wasn't surprised. John liked it when it snowed. John smiled at him, his real smile, the dorky one. Even after all these years, it had the power to make Rodney smile back, every single time.

"Now, Rodney," John drawled. "Would I really do that to you?" In the soft grayish light, Rodney could almost convince himself that John hadn't aged a bit in the last fifteen years. He was still just as lean and rangy as ever, and as handsome as an action hero. He even had all of his hair, which struck Rodney is a bit unfair. That hair was salt-and-pepper now, but it was still as unruly as ever. Which was kind of a statement about John, when Rodney thought about it.

Rodney sat up, adjusting the pillow behind him, so it rested against the headboard. The room was pleasantly warm; the wood stove that they had installed years ago worked perfectly. Rodney took pride in the fact that his addition of the woodstove was as realistic as possible. It smoked, it left soot, and it would go out if unattended. After his initial rejection of the idea, John became obsessed with the stove. Keeping the fire going was one of John’s self-appointed chores, and he was always messing with it, poking at the configuration of wood within, and endlessly re-arranging it. He seemed to enjoy getting up early to see to it that the cabin was warm when Rodney woke. Who was Rodney to take away his little pleasures by altering the program to make it more convenient? "Yes, yes, you would. If you thought it was for my own good. I think you're fussier about my diet than Carson is."

John gave Rodney his famous half smile. "Not today, buddy. This is the real thing."

"Thank god." Rodney reached for the doughnut. It was still warm, and the glaze was sticky on his fingers. He took a big bite, moaning his appreciation. He spoke as he chewed. "At least Carson is not as strict as Jennifer was," Rodney said. "But he's bad enough with the cholesterol thing, and the heart disease thing, and the diabetes thing..."

"He's just trying to see that you stay healthy." John raised an eyebrow. "I can appreciate that."

Rodney snorted. He transferred the doughnut to the other hand, licked his fingers, and snapped them rapidly in the direction of the coffee. John rolled his eyes, but passed the mug over to Rodney. "This from the man who ignores every recommendation from every doctor in two galaxies. If there's a safety protocol, you disable it. If it has wings, you fly it. If there’s no other way to get where you want to go, you climb it. You still act as though you are a 12-year-old; as though you are invincible." Rodney briefly closed his eyes and inhaled the aroma of his coffee. He didn’t care what Teyla said, this was all the meditation he needed each morning.

"Not hardly," John said ruefully. "Though, I have to admit, I’m surprised whenever I find there’s something I can't do anymore."

Rodney glanced sharply at John over the rim of his mug. “It’s about time you realized that. You’re not a god-damned billy goat anymore.”

John snickered and waggled his eyebrows. “I think you mean ‘mountain goat’, ol’ buddy. I haven't had any complaints anywhere else.” He indicated the rumpled state of the bed with his brows, which made Rodney giggle in an undignified fashion.

Still, it wasn't like John to admit that there was anything he couldn’t do. There were lots of things Rodney couldn't do anymore, and he complained about them all the time. He suspected, however, that he knew what was behind John's admission this morning. The passage of time, the marking of another year.

He took another bite of doughnut and wondered vaguely where it came from. He could've sworn that it was a Krispy Kreme, even though he knew that was impossible. Though they had finally located Agartha, the mythical sister city to Atlantis, and established a base of operations, they had very limited contact with Earth. For starters, the SGC had been annoyed that they’d decided on their own to search for Agartha instead of locating _Destiny_ , as was their original mission. Then there had been John’s decision to run Agartha, not as a military base, but as a citadel for learning and a repository of knowledge, much as the ancient city of Alexandria on Earth. Though an unpopular decision with the SGC (Rodney still grinned whenever he recalled the scene when John had sprawled, Kirk-like, in _Fortune’s_ command chair, and invited the SGC to come and do something about him), the inhabitants of Pegasus had slowly made their way to the city to find out for themselves what was being offered. Atlantis may have been the City of the Ancients, but Agartha was the City of the Gods. Ronon’s dream of turning it into a sort of Hogwarts had proven irresistible; few people turned down their invitation to come and study there. As the city developed a reputation for being the place where any scientist worth his salt aspired to study, they had instituted the schools for the younger children, and Rodney thought no owl was as eagerly anticipated as an invitation to come to Agartha.

There'd been a few changes over the years; Jennifer had decided to return to Earth. Carson, unable to fully reconnect with his former life because he didn't think it belonged to him, had chosen to join their expedition as their chief medical officer. Fortune, the AI of their spaceship of the same name, had been able to transfer her consciousness, and that of Elizabeth, into the database at Agartha, though she also remained connected to the ship that had carried them so faithfully. Rodney had discovered the means to create a mobile hologram emitter for Elizabeth, which gave her the freedom to move about in corporeal form within the city and onboard Fortune. John occasionally asked her to state the nature of the medical emergency, which was only funny the first time he’d done it.

The _Daedalus_ came twice a year to a pre-designated meeting place—one of Agartha’s prime advantages was the ability to hide from enemy eyes. Radek’s team had discovered a lab within the city where ZPMs had been created; Rodney hoped eventually to be able to figure out how. It was possible that with Daniel’s help, he might just do that within the year. Dr. Jackson had been a surprise addition on one of the _Daedalus_ runs.

“City of the Gods,” Daniel had said, on entering the Gate room and looking around in boyish wonder. “How can I resist that?”

He had that whole ‘former Ascended Being’ thing going on for him, and the city fawned over him almost as much as it did for John. The addition of Daniel to their expedition had given Rodney a few bad moments of doubt and jealously in the beginning, but that was all behind them now. It had taken a while, but Rodney had finally been able to see that Daniel’s One True Love was the study of ancient cultures.

They hadn't quite burned their bridges with Earth by establishing an independent society because the SGC understood just how valuable Agartha had become. Still, they weren't exactly part of the main supply lines, either.

One of the things that Rodney had discovered a long time ago, however, was that virtually every society had its own version of doughnuts. He wondered when John had come across this version and how long he'd been keeping it a secret, in anticipation for today. John had a ridiculous capacity for delayed gratification, which Rodney only barely understood.

He finished the last of his doughnut, sucking the glazing off his fingers, before taking another sip of coffee. John had made it just the way he liked it. He gave a little sigh to convey both contentment for the moment and reluctance to move. "I'd better get up," Rodney said, using both hands to lift the mug to his lips again. He was in no hurry to get started on his day.

John's expression became sly. "Nope. You don't have to get up in less you want to. Radek's taking over your classes for the day. He said to tell you that your students are rejoicing."

Rodney set the mug down on the nightstand with a thump that would have sloshed coffee over the brim had he not already drunk so much. He tried to toss back the covers, but John was sitting on them. He pushed ineffectually at John with his legs, trapped in the bedding. "Radek! I can't leave the class with him! We're just getting to advanced theoretics; he'll confuse them."

"One day, Rodney." John refused to move. "I don't think one day will kill them."

"You never know," Rodney said darkly. "This is Pegasus we’re talking about."

John laughed and stood up. "Come on, Rodney. It's your birthday. I think you can take one day off."

Rodney pushed back the covers and swung his legs out of the bed. The loss of warmth made him shiver just a little, even though the room wasn't cold any longer. Birthday. Yay. Like he needed or wanted a reminder. He felt creaky enough as it was. He made a face as he ran his hand through what was left of his hair. He still had good legs, and his knees weren’t nearly as bad as John's, but there was no denying that each year, he got just a little bit heavier. He kept meaning to do something about that. Sometimes, for a week or two, or even longer, he would start some sort of exercise routine. However, the demands on his time and intellect were hard to ignore. It was easier when John teased him into doing something with him; Rodney was far more likely to do it then, even though he was exhausted from his duties within the city.

He stood up slowly wincing at the various aches and pains. Honestly, sometimes it didn't pay to sleep in. It was almost harder to get moving when he'd slept more than his usual six hours.

"Seriously, Rodney. Today's your day. To do whatever you want. We can hang out here, if you like. It's not too cold outside, and there's only a dusting of snow on the ground. We could hike to the peak and be back by lunch."

Rodney accepted the bathrobe that John handed him. He put it on over his T-shirt and boxers, and tightened the belt, even as he fished with his toes for the slippers under the bed. He could only find one, which meant that Bad Kitten must have taken the other. "You have an odd definition of not too cold," Rodney said. "Anything, eh? So if I wanted to go down to the labs and work on one of my projects, you wouldn't mind?"

John folded his arms over his chest. Damn, he still looked mighty fine. Rodney realized he was dressed in casual clothes: an old pair of faded jeans, and a red-and-black checked flannel shirt over one of his black T-shirts. He certainly looked as though he intended to spend the day at the cabin. "Seriously? Well, if that's what you want to do..." John trailed off, his voice a mixture of uncertainty and resignation.

Rodney grinned. "Are you telling me that you're taking the whole day off? So that you can hang out with me, and do whatever I want?" He knew it wasn’t that big a stretch for John to do so. Ever since they’d made Elizabeth and Fortune the city administrators, the concept of weekends had taken on new meaning again.

Surprisingly, John looked a little shamefaced. "Well, yeah." He shifted on sock feet, rubbing the back of his neck, the way he always did when he was slightly uncomfortable. "I feel bad. Aside from the doughnut, I don't really have anything for your birthday."

Rodney just looked at him. He couldn’t help feeling, on some level, just a little hurt. He did make an effort to find something special for John each year. Rodney suspected that if John had access to Amazon, Rodney would get whatever was at the top of his Wish List. He knew that he spent an inordinate amount of time and energy searching for the right gift for John. It would be nice to feel as though John did the same in return. Rodney realized, however, that the fact that John remembered most years without reminders was a good sign.

Rodney’s silence disconcerted John even further. "You know, every year, when it's my birthday, you always do something really cool for me. Like this." He indicated the room in which they were standing. "This has to be one of the coolest gifts I've ever received. A hologram program designed just for the two of us." He grinned, and damn if it wasn't as wicked and sexy as ever. Rodney grinned back. He rubbed his bare foot on the back of his leg and longed for his other slipper.

John shrugged. "There was the year that you gave me the glider. And that time when you and the science team built an honest-to-god fighter. It might have been just a prototype, but three years later, we had a fleet for the city."

Rodney nodded happily in remembrance. "Yeah, you practically wet yourself over that one."

John snorted. "Fighter jet. In combination with city defense. That's hot, McKay, very hot." His smile was decidedly seductive. He slouched against the dresser, as always, seemingly unable to hold a conversation for very long while standing upright.

Rodney knelt, resting one hand on the bed for balance as he peered underneath the bed, searching for the other slipper. "Go on," he said, "tell me more about how hot and sexy I am."

"The baby Pegasus was pretty damn hard to beat." John's voice was soft. Rodney looked up from his kneeling position, and noted that goofy look of adoration on John's face. It was the same look that had blossomed over his features when he'd first seen the winged foal.

“Aw, I didn’t plan that one, and you know it.” That had been a pretty damn special day. When they’d finally located Agartha, they’d discovered a population of Pegasii on the planet as well. Only later did they learn the telepathic equuids were the secret behind the city’s ability to stay hidden—somehow, collectively, they were able to move the entire planet to another dimension in times of threat. When Ronon found the orphaned foal, Rodney had taken it straight to John. It just so happened to have been on his birthday. To look at the shining black creature now, no one would ever recognize it as the ungainly colt whose long legs seemed to go in all directions.

John had taken one look and was completely smitten. John and the young colt had bonded instantly. John had named him Valadin, after a horse in some fantasy series he’d read as a teenager. It was rare that a day went by when John couldn't be seen flying over the city on the black Pegasus. Rodney was only a little bit jealous.

"I like trying to find the perfect gift for you," Rodney said. He gave up on the slipper and stood up again slowly, and in stages. "It's not easy. I usually start looking the day after your birthday. Sometimes it takes me the whole year."

John's face fell, and he looked slightly chagrined. "Yeah, that's what I mean. You're always finding the coolest gifts. My gifts for you are pretty lame. Hell, half the time, they're only virtual."

Rodney jumped when something suddenly attacked his bare foot. Sharp claws dug into his instep and he jerked his foot reflexively. Bad Kitten tumbled away, only to regain his footing and come back for more. Rodney bent down to scoop up the fluffy orange and white cat. "You got me Bad Kitten," he pointed out with a laugh. He suspended the cat in front of him, ten pounds of muscle hanging bonelessly in his hands, tail lashing from side to side.

"The jury is still out on whether that was a good idea or not."

Bad Kitten twisted in Rodney’s grip and pretended to kill one of his hands. Rodney tossed him onto the bed. "Not as far as I'm concerned," Rodney said. He leaned over so he could shove one under the covers and wiggle it with small jerks and pauses, like a rodent in the grass. Bad Kitten pounced on his hand with glee.

"The point is," John said, "I've been kind of falling down in the birthday department, and I'm sorry about that."

Rodney stopped playing with the kitten. He straightened to look at John. The expression on John’s face was one of woebegone shame.

"Idiot," Rodney murmured. He closed the distance between him and John. He put a hand on John's shoulder, tugging him into hugging range, enjoying the feel of the soft flannel beneath his fingers. John moved into the hug first, something that had taken him years to learn how to do. Rodney smiled as he folded his arms around the man he simply could not do without. "I have everything I could possibly want. I have you."

~fin


End file.
